The new findings were based on a survey of 724 melanoma survivors and 660 adults the same age with no history of the disease. On average, the survivors had been diagnosed 10 years earlier, when they were between the ages of 25 and 59.

The researchers found that most survivors were more vigilant about sun protection compared to the control group. But three-quarters (74.8 percent) of survivors said they typically spent at least two hours in the summer sun on weekend days. Furthermore, 38.1 percent said they usually did not wear sunscreen when they were outside in the summer. Less than half (48.1 percent) said they typically tried to stay in the shade. Overall, 19.5 percent of survivors said they'd had a sunburn in the past year, while 10.4 percent said they'd sunbathed with the aim of getting a tan.